Savills appoints William Wallace as General Manager in Christchurch

Savills has appointed William Wallace as General Manager of its South Island business, based in Christchurch.

In the newly-established role, Wallace will work alongside Managing Director Jonathan Lyttle to spearhead business growth and lead the office’s team of 12 brokers.

Lyttle will oversee strategic direction, as well as continuing to focus on business development and capital transactions.

The opportunity to appoint a dedicated general manager was identified a couple of years ago based on the company’s rapid growth trajectory, says Lyttle.

“The team and business have grown significantly since the office opened nearly three years ago with just three brokers. We now have teams covering sales and leasing across the commercial property market in Canterbury and Marlborough; as well as commercial project management, consultancy services and residential project marketing,” he says.

“Following a global search for the best candidate, we recruited William from South Africa in late 2016 and he has since been immersed in the local market. We are now thrilled to appoint him as general manager.”

With the strengthened leadership team in place, the business is now eyeing further growth and expansion, Lyttle says. “We have identified several opportunities for growth in our brokerage business and we also plan to expand our range of property services in the near future.”

Wallace is an accomplished and experienced professional who brings nearly 15 years’ experience in property sales, leasing and development to his role with Savills. He is also believed to be the first international candidate to be recruited directly into the real estate industry in New Zealand.

“We tapped into Savills global network in New Zealand and internationally to find the best person for the role,” says Lyttle. “William is the ideal fit and has proved himself to be a high-level performer since we brought him to Christchurch. We are also leveraging his multinational connections, especially in Asia Pacific, for the benefit of our clients.”

In his previous role as national sales director for Amdec Property Development Co (the largest privately-owned development firm in South Africa), Wallace continued to develop his successful track record in acquisition and sale strategies, client relations and national lease negotiations on the Amdec portfolio. His past roles include other sales director and manager positions with South African property developers, as well as industrial property brokerage.